Tomato of the Sea
by rajikka
Summary: (AU, fantasy setting) In a small port town, Alfred, the "Hero of Canton" meets an unexpected visitor one rainy day. Being the nice guy he is, he takes him in and tries to raise his spirits with talk of heroes, hot chocolate, and adventures. Lovino, on the other hand, is just trying to figure out what the hell is going on half the time. Eventual Romerica and other pairings.
1. The Hero of Canton

**Tomato of the Sea**

Disclaimer: I don't Hetalia.

Warning: AU, Lovi's way of verbally expressing annoyance, male x male pairings, and a very bipolar Gilbird fluttering about.

This Romerica fic has been bugging me for awhile…so you get it now while I still have time to write/yell at my computer. Summer is a wonderful time of year… :3

* * *

Canton is a small port town located in the Viridian Islands between the western kingdom of Rastronegro and the southern empire of Torredirosso. As that island chain was run by the Union (a collection of powerful guilds) instead of a monarch; it was a hotspot for sailors and traders to gather and sell things freely, because let's face it, Royalty can be downright nosy and unreasonable when they wanted to be. And unauthorized dock parties? Forget it. Canton in particular, was known for its harbor that was almost the size of the entire town.

What had been shaping up to be a nice summer day ended up being a bust as storm clouds rushed in and began to cover the skies. Fishermen, sailors, and locals began to clear out of the harbor when the thunder began. Many could recall the day the owner of the textile store was nearly struck dead by a bolt of lightning (but debated on whether that was a coincidence or the wrath of his bushy-eyed boyfriend who had caught him flirting with a pretty barmaid) and didn't want the same to happen to them (tsunderes are scary).

One lone boy ignored the others dashing past him, continuing his slow walk out to a pier. He'd just gotten off a boat after a week long journey and was in a daze of sorts. Rain ran down his face and began to soak his tattered clothes, but he barely noticed. Lovino's eyes were empty as he thought about his family situation and old life before everything changed for the worse. Three weeks ago, he had been living a relatively peaceful life with his twin brother, then everything fell apart in only a few days. He only hoped all his efforts weren't in vain and Feliciano was safe and sound somewhere far away.

He didn't hear the shouting from the docks until the person was right beside him, pulling him up by the arm with some urgency.

"What are you doing out here?" the blonde-haired man asked. "It's really dangerous to be out in a storm like this! C'mon!"

Lovino barely snapped out of it for his mind to register he was talking to a person. He had tried to respond that he wanted to be left alone, but his mouth failed to form words and he found himself being dragged off by a stranger with the deepest blue eyes he'd ever seen. The brunette tried to tell the other man to let him go, he was fine out there alone, but his brain didn't seem willing to come out of its haze to let him speak up. Defeated by both his stressed out self and the blonde with the surprisingly strong grip, Lovino let himself be dragged off to wherever this guy was taking him. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go.

The run ended up being a short one and in less than five minutes, the two stopped outside a small, but welcoming house just off the beach. It was built from a lighter-colored wood and had large windows on every wall to let in the sunlight (Luckily, someone remembered to close them this morning). There were two long red drapes that fluttered in the wind, but remained firmly attached to the roof and porch where they were secured tightly. Not that Lovino noticed any of this, mind you. In his state, all he gathered from the sight was "red" "wood" and "house."

His hero quickly ushered him in without a second thought and tossed him a towel. The blonde tossed one for himself over his shoulder and began starting a fire. He struck the flint over the logs in the fireplace and the flames quickly sparked to life.

"I'm gonna go dig up some dry clothes for us," the blue-eyed man smiled. "You go ahead and start warming up by the fire."

Lovino slowly wandered off to the fire as the other walked off to a separate room to dig up some dry clothing. For the first time, the brunette realized how drenched he was, as he dried off his hair with the fluffy towel. His clothes clung to him and would probably make him shiver if he wasn't in front of a fire. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Lovino could smell the cedar scent from the towel, when he finally came to his senses.

He was in a house he didn't know… in a town he'd never visited before…with a complete stranger, who could have been an axe murderer for all he knew. What the hell was he _doing?_

The stranger returned with a cheerful smile on his face, catching Lovi off guard.

'_He reminds me a little of Feli_…' the green-eyed boy shook his head to clear it. '_No! Not Feliciano! He's a stranger! I don't know him! He's probably going to kill me or something and nobody will hear it over the storm!_'

"Here ya go!" beamed the possible serial killer, handing over a few hastily folded items. "I dug around and found some of my old clothes, so they'd fit you better."

Lovino cautiously accepted the clothing, taking note of the other's toned arms and muscles.

'_Yup. Definitely an axe murderer_.'

"Are you okay?" the blonde asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"Why are you helping me?" Lovi asked, completely ignoring the way his new acquaintance's messy blonde hair swept over his eyes made him look more childish than heartless.

"A hero doesn't need a reason to help people," came his response, complete with a disarming laugh.

"A hero?"

"Yeah! I'm the Hero of Canton, the man they call Alfred!" he grinned. "Or 'Al' for short."

"U-Uh…" Lovino was at a loss for words. Why was the killer claiming to be a hero?

"And what's your name? Then I'll know what to call ya."

"L…Lovino."

" Lovino, huh?" Alfred tried out the unfamiliar name. "That's a cool name! You're probably not from around here, huh?"

The traveler with tsundere issues only nodded to agree with him. There was no use hiding a fact that would be discovered soon enough.

Alfred showed Lovino where the bathroom was to change and the latter was grateful for the privacy. Alfred had told him to let him know if he needed anything and ducked back out to the living room.

'_Maybe he's not so bad_…' thought the shorter man as he pulled the baggy shirt over his tanned body. '_Well, not bad enough to be an axe murderer…his fashion sense kind of sucks…_' he amended. The clothes were definitely well-worn and chosen for comfort, not style, but Lovino supposed he couldn't afford be picky, given the situation he was in.

When he wandered back dried off and practically swimming in the oversized clothes, he sniffed the air. He smelled chocolate. Rolling up his huge sleeves could wait.

Sure enough, Alfred was making hot chocolate and greeted Lovi with a warm smile when he poked his head into the kitchen uncertainly. It wasn't like he was afraid or anything, he just wanted to make sure his host/possible kidnapper didn't have a butcher's knife in his hand or something first. Alfred didn't seem to notice his companion's cautious behavior and handed him a mug of the steaming liquid.

"Here, Lovino," his constant smile was blinding. "Drink this, so you warm up."

"…Thanks, bastard."

The tsundere reluctantly took it and drank a little. He could feel his chest heat up. It _was_ pretty good, much better than he had been expecting. Alfred didn't really look like the kind of guy that knew how to cook, but maybe he was wrong.

"It's really good, isn't it? It's a special recipe!" the self-proclaimed hero explained. "My brother taught me how to make it when we were kids!"

Lovino's throat tightened a little at the mention of a little brother, but said nothing. He let Alfred continue rambling on about how to make 'Mattie's Special Hot Chocolate' to avoid getting lost in his own thoughts again. He'd take just about any distraction at this point. He sat down next to his chatterbox host on the couch when offered. Normally, he'd prefer to have a little more distance from someone he'd just met, but he didn't care at the moment.

Alfred was more than happy to be the one talking, noting that his guest seemed troubled. He hated to bring up a sad topic, so he carried on about cheerful things instead. Nothing sad or depressing about his brother's awesome hot chocolate! That stuff could make anyone feel better! Mathew would always make it on cold days or whenever their papas got into a fight.

During his companion's constant rambling, Lovino felt his eyes droop and he realized just how exhausted he was. He didn't get much sleep over the week he was on the boat or the last few chaotic days in Torre'. The Southerner realized he'd spent the last three weeks or so being far more paranoid and anxious than any boy his age had the right to be….which is why he was amazed how relaxed he felt now with a complete stranger. As Lovi began to doze off, he rested his head on Alfred's shoulder and fell asleep.

Feeling the weight on his shoulder, Alfred stopped explaining the pros and cons of adding maple syrup to hot chocolate and looked down.

"Lovino?" he gently nudged the boy. "Hey, Lovino? Are you asleep?"

No response.

"Alright, we can finish talking about it tomorrow," smiled the taller of the two. He scooped his guest up with ease. As he adjusted the weight in his arms, he decided that Lovi should really be eating more – he was even lighter than Mattie! He could probably toss him up at least five feet in the air, no problem, but didn't want to test it out and wake him up.

Alfred walked across the hall and put Lovino in his bed, since his room was on the main floor. He dug out a second quilt covered in red and blue patches and rested it on top of the blanket pile practically burying the brunette. He didn't want his new friend to catch a cold on his watch. He was the hero, after all!

"G'night, Lovino!" he whispered (to the best of his ability), before heading upstairs. His brother had moved out a few weeks ago, so it was just as easy to stay in his old room.

* * *

For once, Lovi's dreams were blessedly free of their usual fire, daggers, and near-drownings. Another reason he hadn't slept well lately was the nightmares constantly waking him up. He'd barely slept at all on the boat ride here, but something about this bed was downright _magic_. He was fairly sure the feathers came from the wings of fucking _angels_, given how soft it was. No bed had the right to be this comfortable. He was now jealous of the bed's owner, but before he could launch into a mental rant he smelled the familiar scent of smoke.

"Feli, you idiota, you're burning breakfast…" he mumbled, forcing his eyes open.

He leapt out of bed in surprise, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, and it all set in again. The fear, the panic, the weight of everything he'd done…Lovino had to stop and recompose himself, reminding himself what happened and where he was. Although he hadn't been in this exact room before, he was still fairly certain it was still Alfred's house, if the woodwork and wrinkled clothes on the ground were anything to go by. After a few minutes, he managed to push his way into the kitchen and the source of all the smoke.

"Hey, Lovino!" greeted Alfred, although how he saw him through the smoke was a mystery. "Breakfast will be done soon!"

"Breakfast was done ten minutes ago, moron!" he exclaimed, pushing the blonde out of the way, so he could attempt to save it before all was lost.

Alfred watched in amazement as Lovino worked, putting out the flaming toast, whipping what was left of the burned eggs into an omelet, and adding several spices that Alfred didn't even know he owned. The brunette quickly sliced up several vegetables to toss in with a speed that would impress even Alfred's gourmet papa.

"Wow, Lovino! You're amazing!" the Canton local exclaimed with a laugh. "I'm not much of a cook, myself…"

"Yeah, I can see that," grunted the chef. "I _suppose_ I can try to turn this into something edible, since I'm already here…"

As Alfred watched with curiosity, Lovino rolled his eyes, realized how gruff he sounded, and softened a bit. He really didn't want to piss of the guy who helped him. Alfred went to a lot of trouble for some random guy he didn't know. He certainly didn't have to and—_where the hell were the tomatoes?!_ He couldn't make omelets without tomatoes! That would be like making spaghetti without the noodles! Gelato without the sugar! Unacceptable! His brows furrowed together in frustration while he glanced around for any sign of them, but came up empty.

Alfred's face broke into a grin while Lovino tearfully dished up the tomato-less food.

"You're really expressive!"

"Huh?"

"Your face and the way you move!" the constantly cheery blonde explained.

"My, uh, what?" Lovino blushed. Why was Alfred watching him move? He didn't realize he was being watched. "I – nevermind! Are you sure you don't have any tomatoes here, bastard?"

"Sorry," Alfred apologized, stuffing toast into his mouth. "I'm awwl owwd I guss."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, idiot!" Lovino chided. "How am I supposed to understand you when you're mouth is crammed full of bread?"

"Sowwy."

"Just chew your food, jackass."

The two ate in a comfortable silence. Alfred was preoccupied with the delicious food (and still in disbelief that it came out of his kitchen) while Lovino was busy grieving over the cruelty of an omelet without tomatoes. When they had finished, Lovino stood to gather the plates out of habit, but Alfred grabbed them instead.

"No way! You cooked all this great food, I can't make you do the dishes too!" insisted Alfred. "You can just sit back and relax!"

"Whatever, bastard," Lovino tried to brush off the compliment. "Th-Thanks for all your help, but I have to be on my way."

"Did you come in on one of the boats yesterday?"

"Y-Yeah."

"So you're a traveler? Where are you from?" Alfred asked as he finished clearing the table, licking his fingers clean of the final crumbs. Lovino was a _really_ good cook.

"…Across the sea," the dejected brunette finally added, plopping back down into his chair. It didn't look like Alfred was anywhere close to being done talking. He really did remind him of his brother.

"What brings you to Canton? You got friends or family here?" Alfred continued the conversation from the kitchen. It was connected to the space he used as a dining room, so it worked out well. He was even able to start washing dishes and keep his attention on his new friend.

"Nothing in particular…I just had to get out of town," Lovino sighed. "I, uh, felt like leaving."

"You're pretty brave! I don't think I'd be ready to leave town all by myself on a journey yet."

"A journey?"

"Yeah, all Heroes have to go on a journey, right?" asked Alfred, as if it was common knowledge.

"What? I'm not…Why are you so obsessed with heroes anyway?"

"Can't help it. My mom used to read me books about heroes since I was a kid," Alfred chuckled. "I've been the Hero of Canton ever since."

"You…gave yourself the title? Isn't that something you have to earn?" Lovino sweatdropped. He wasn't exactly the leading expert in the field of Heroism, but he was fairly certain that part was right.

"I _have_ earned it!" Alfred pouted. "I help others in need! Or when they need something fixed, or—"

"Whatever, bastard," Lovino looked away to hide his slightly pink cheeks. He just hadn't expected someone of Alfred's stature to _pout_ of all things. The guy looked like he bench-pressed trees for fun, not mastered the art of Puppy Eyes. It's not like he thought it was cute or anything either.

"I saved you yesterday, remember?" the hero in question reminded him puffing out his chest a little in pride and pulling Lovi out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, well I…fine. You did," Lovino admitted, covering up his blush with sarcasm. "They should give you a damned medal."

"I wouldn't be a hero if I expected to get something for it each time!" Alfred laughed like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Lovino could only nod, realizing after all that Alfred did for him, he never asked for anything in return.

"So do you plan on staying in town for awhile?" the Hero of Canton asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I guess so," the green-eyed boy responded. He couldn't exactly go home anymore and didn't have a clue where to even begin looking for his twin brother.

"Awesome!" cheered Alfred. "You wanna stay here, then?"

"What?" Lovino asked, thinking he didn't hear him right.

"Well, you said you didn't know anybody in town, and staying at the inn for even a couple days adds up, so I figured I'd offer my house," the blonde scratched his head. "And since we're already friends, it's all good!"

"F-Friends?" Lovino stammered, feeling his face heat up again. "You barely even know me, idiot! I-I could be some kind of thief…or assassin…or a pirate!"

"Then I can get to know you better," Alfred answered with a laugh. "And I'm pretty sure I can hold my own!"

"Why would you really let me stay, bastard. And don't say it's because you're a hero!" He cut him off, sensing a trend in his reasoning. Even the people who actually _knew_ Lovino back in Torre' didn't like him. He was rude, too blunt, and couldn't control his temper. His saintly brother was always the favorite, not him.

"Well, you're really interesting! Canton's a port town, but we really don't get that many visitors that stay for awhile. Mostly sailors and traders…" Alfred began explaining. "And my brother recently moved in with his buddy, so it's been really boring here and—"

"…Fine."

"What's that?" it was Alfred's turn to be confused.

"I said fine, I'll stay….but only for a little while!" Lovino said quickly. "I can't stay in this town forever!"

"That's great, Lovi! I don't work today, so I can show you all around town!" Alfred brightened, flashing him a winning smile.

"W-Whoa, bastard you can't just drag me around wherever you want!" Lovino protested as his hand was grabbed. Alfred didn't seem to hear him. "And don't call me Lovi!"

All other protests were drowned out by the sound of Alfred's laughter as he eagerly dragged his friend out the door.

* * *

**A/N**

How did you all like the first chapter? It came to me as I was watching _Firefly_ and listening to "The Hero of Canton" song for the 896th time. I borrowed the song (you'll see it later) and the town name for this fic, but that should be it for now, so no cross-over. Just straight-up Hetalia goodness in this story.

I had debated splitting this chapter up into two separate ones, but couldn't resist combining them in the end. The next chapter will probably be a little shorter and easier to read. I adore writing this couple, so hopefully I'll be able to update quickly!

~Rajikka

**Word List**

**Canton** (Firefly fandom) – This was the mudder's village the characters visited, but for the purposes of this fic, I only borrowed the name. The universe, location, and appearance is very different here.

**Rastronegro** (Sp.) – I combined the Spanish words for Black Trail (rastro negro) "Rastro" (trail) and "Negro" (black). You'll find out more about this place later.

**Torredirosso** (It.) – I combined the Italian words for Red Tower (torre di rosso) "Torre" (tower) and "Rosso" (red). You'll find out more about this place later.

**Tsundere** (Jap.) – Arthur Kirkland. Haha, just kidding. (sort of.) A tsundere is a type of character seen in anime or manga known for appearing cold or hostile, but having a hidden sweet side. "Tsun Tsun" is the aloof or irritable side, while "Dere Dere" is the lovey dovey side. Iggy and Lovi are two good examples of this character.

**Idiota** (It.) "Idiot"

Let me know if something's off!


	2. The Man They Call Al'

**Tomato of the Sea**

Disclaimer: I don't Hetalia.

Warning: AU, Lovi's way of verbally expressing annoyance, male x male pairings, and a very bipolar Gilbird fluttering about.

About time I updated, eh?

* * *

Ever since his brother moved out a few weeks ago, Alfred felt like the house was missing its usual spark of life that kept him from getting bored. Sure, there was always something to do or people to see in town and visiting Matthew only consisted of walking about ten minutes towards the heart of town, but Alfred couldn't do that _every_ night. And he refused to cave and mooch dinner off his papas. Not only would that kill his pride and damage his big stand on being independent that he took up with them a few years ago, but depending on which fatherly figure was cooking, he'd either eat too much or risk food poisoning. So the Hero of Canton sucked it up and started to make meals for himself. He got a little better at cooking, but he didn't think he'd ever be able to adjust to eating alone. It was too boring and quiet and…_boring!_ Ever since his brother moved out a few weeks ago, Alfred had been lonely.

And then Lovino came along.

Alfred was happy to help get him out of the storm and had no qualms with letting him stay the night (poor guy looked like he had been through a lot), but he was _ecstatic_ that his new friend was going to be living with him for awhile at least. Finally, he had somebody to hang out with at home to fill the void his brother left. Someone he could talk to, play games with, share meals, and listen to his most recent heroic exploits.

It also didn't hurt that Lovino was one hell of a cook.

"This is the main road leading to town, so it's mostly people's houses," Alfred explained, showing Lovino around. "The neighbors are all nice, but really old. Oh, except for Kiku! He's about our age and just moved in a few years ago."

"Uh, okay?" the brunette responded. He was doing all he could just to keep up with the overly excited blonde.

Alfred continued dragging Lovino down the dirt road. He couldn't wait until they actually got into town and could see more of the sights and people. It was true that the view of the beach was nice from his house, but the Hero was far more interested in showing Lovino all his favorite places _in_ Canton.

"And this is the bakery, where they make the best cake in the entire world," Alfred explained while waving at the two men in front. "Hi, Tino! Hi, Berwald!"

The smaller of the two smiled and waved back, while the taller one looked up and nodded curtly.

"They have a kid too – Peter – who's probably running around here somewhere. Oh, hey Toris, what's up?" Alfred greeted another man walking nearby, carrying a load of fabrics.

"Hm? Oh, hi Alfred," he replied. "Not much, I'm just picking up a few things for Feliks. Who's this?"

Lovino shrunk back a little, a little uncomfortable in a town full of strangers.

"This is Lovino!" Alfred exclaimed proudly. "He's my friend and is going to be staying in town for awhile."

"Then welcome to Canton," Toris smiled. "It's a nice town, I'm sure you'll like it here."

"Th-Thanks."

As Alfred continued to drag Lovi all around town like a big, excited kid, Lovino realized how popular Alfred is with the locals. He started to think that maybe the hero thing wasn't all in Alfred's head after all.

* * *

In addition to meeting several people, the Hero of Canton started showing Lovino some of his favorite places. As they walked past the docks, Alfred pointed out his favorite place to order a drink and watch the ships pull in and out of the harbor. He amended that the best place for that is actually on the cliffs overhanging the edge of town. From there you can see the entire ocean. He promised to take Lovino there one day, missing the brunette warily eyeing up the cliffs in question; they looked kind of high…

Once they got closer to town square, Alfred pointed out several of his favorite shops. There was the candy store run by Mei Xiao (who always gave him extras), the weapon's shop owned by a pair of siblings who were as different as night and day (Al sometimes helps test out new guns), and a music shop that sold instruments, provided lessons, and put on concerts (Alfred admitted he was never good at playing anything his parents had him try, but he loved listening to others play). Nearly everyone passing by waved to Alfred and welcomed Lovino to town after quick introductions. The green-eyed boy was starting to have a difficult time keeping all of the names and faces straight.

Through it all, Alfred continued introducing Lovino as his new friend from overseas. The latter realized he was actually getting used to the idea of someone calling him their friend. It had always seemed like such a foreign word to him in his old town, but here it almost seemed to fit. Lovino was so caught up with his thoughts that he forgot to yell at Alfred for nearly pulling his arm out of his socket every time he saw something cool or awesome that he just _had_ to show Lovino and in the fastest way possible. Before long, they had walked around over half of Canton.

"Hey, Pete. How's it going?" Alfred greeted the boy walking nearby.

"Not bad. I got a good deal on shrimp today. Papa Berwald will be happy," Peter grinned and noticed Lovino beside him. "Is that your wife?"

"W-What?!" they both asked in unison, Alfred hastily releasing the hand he didn't realize he had been holding.

"No, this is my buddy, Lovino!" the blonde recovered, laughing a bit. "He's my friend, not my wife."

"But you were holding hands…" Peter tilted his head, bushy brows furrowing.

"That's because this lunatic was dragging me around town and I didn't get a chance to pull away!" Lovino huffed, ignoring the smile that broke out on Peter's face.

"Yeah, my dad told me that's how it all starts," he laughed and began to stroll away. "Bye guys! I gotta get back home before Mama Tino worries. Invite me to the wedding, okay?!"

"I'm going to kill that little…"

"Don't worry about it! He was just joking," Alfred patted the glaring brunette's back. "Kids will be kids and all."

Lovino only grumbled something about stringing him to the top of a flag pole until he learns his lesson.

"Hey, are you getting hungry, Lovi? Let's stop for lunch!" Alfred asked, guiding his friend off in a new direction of town. "I know a guy who sells the best tomatoes!"

"T-Tomatoes?" Lovino perked up. "Lead the way, bastard!"

A short walk later and they stood in front of a food stand run by a man with untamed chocolate curls and bright green eyes. He and Alfred exchanged a greeting, but Lovino took no notice.

"Tomatoooo…" he murmured, staring longingly at the ripe red fruit in front of him. He couldn't even remember the last time he had one. Two weeks ago? Three?

"You're name is Tomato?" asked an unfamiliar voice. "What a great name!"

"Huh?" Lovino looked back up, unaware a conversation was going on.

"'Toni asked you your name and you told him 'Tomato,'" Alfred grinned.

"W-What? No I—" Lovino felt his cheeks burn.

"How cute! You even _look_ like a tomato!" the shopkeeper cooed.

"Wow, you're right!" Alfred beamed. "Lovi you should see yourself! You look just like a—"

"Shut up!" the tsundere hissed. "My name isn't 'Tomato' or 'Lovi' it's _Lovino_!"

"It's good to meetcha, Lovino!" the owner seemed unfazed. "My name is Antonio Fernandez Carriedo!"

Briefly wondering why he had so many names, Lovi returned his attention on more pressing matters – the tomatoes and how he was going to get some.

"Do you like tomatoes, Lovi?" Antonio asked.

"He loves 'em!" Alfred interjected. "Lovi looked so sad at breakfast this morning when he found out I didn't have any."

"Bastardos! Stop calling me that!" he snarled back. "So what if I like tomatoes? You idiots wouldn't know good taste if it bit you in the culo."

"Then you can have these!" Antonio smiled brightly, handing over a small basket of tomatoes to his fellow tomato aficionado. "No house should be without tomatoes! That would be a tragedy!"

"C-Can I really have these?" Lovino asked in disbelief.

"Sure! Consider it a welcome basket for my newest friend."

"Grazie…" the shorter brunette nodded, biting into the juiciest tomato while Alfred picked up some more food for lunch.

"Sandwiches okay with you, buddy?" Alfred asked.

Lovino didn't reply. He didn't even respond to anything really. The green-eyed boy had taken one bite of tomato and looked like he was in heaven. Alfred could almost see the sparkles of pure bliss surround him.

After paying for lunch, Alfred led Lovino to a bench to eat. The entire way over, the blonde was convinced his friend would float off to cloud nine. He barely even touched the other food that Alfred had purchased.

"Wow! You can really put 'em away!" a thoroughly impressed Alfred said, watching Lovino devour tomato after tomato. He figured it was a good thing, Lovi looked like he needed the weight.

"I can't help it, they're so good, bastard!" Lovino all but purred. Then in a great show of unexpected kindness and self-sacrifice, he offered one to Alfred.

"No, that's okay. I've got my sandwich here," the blue-eyed boy waved him off. "Besides, it's much more fun to watch you go to town on them. You must really love tomatoes…"

Lovino could only nod, as pausing to reply would mean he'd have to stop munching on the fruit in his hands. It wasn't long before over half of the basket was empty.

"You think you should slow down a little?" Alfred asked between bites of his sandwich. "I'd feel bad if you got sick."

"Tomatoes don't make you sick, idiota."

"Are you sure? You've eaten like seven of them…"

"Positive."

Not long after the delicious tomatoes were devoured, Lovino started lapsing into a food coma. His eyes felt heavy and his body wobbled towards the edge of the bench. Luckily, Alfred caught his shoulder before he fell off. He didn't have anything to support his friend on, so Alfred propped him against his side. Lovino's head rested on his shoulder with a content look on his face. Alfred couldn't help smile, hoping Lovi would be able to relax more like this in the future.

Considering the state he found him in, Lovino was doing much better. He had a little more color in his cheeks, more spring in his step, and a healthy appetite to boot. Antonio was right, he really was cute. He felt so lucky to be the first friend Lovi made in Canton.

* * *

Not long into Lovino's nap, some more friends of Alfred's passed by. Being the nice guy that he was, the Hero of Canton waved to the duo of Bella and Elizabeta. Bella waved back and both headed over, one a little faster than the other.

Once they were within speaking distance, Elizabeta was barely able to contain a squee. Alfred shushed her quickly bringing a finger to his lips.

"Shh! Eliza, you have to be quiet or you'll wake Lovi up!" he chided her with all the seriousness of a child.

This only made her giggle more, but Bella was able to calm her friend.

"Who's this, Alfred?" she asked. "I don't think I've seen him around town before."

Elizabeta nodded at this, knowing for a fact that she hadn't. She kept thorough tabs on all the young, attractive men in Canton for her own fantasizing purposes. If this guy was in Canton for more than a day or two, she would know about it.

"This is Lovi!" Alfred beamed. "He's my new friend and is staying with me for awhile."

"St-Staying with you?!" Elizabeta exclaimed, looking as though Christmas just came early.

Alfred and Bella both shushed her again as Lovi fidgeted a little in his sleep.

"Sorry!" she clamped a hand over her mouth.

"That's nice," the short-haired girl turned her attention back to her friend and the sleeping boy in his arms. "Is he from out of town?"

"Yeah, across the sea."

"How exotic, er, excellent," the long-haired girl amended.

"Yep!" agreed Alfred. He noted that Elizabeta was acting strange today, but he didn't let it trouble him as long as she kept her voice down so Lovi could rest peacefully.

"Well, we'll head off so we don't wake him," Bella smiled sweetly and grabbed her friend's arm to steer her away.

Elizabeta looked distraught at the very thought of leaving this scene behind.

"He must be really tired from his trip." Said Bella. "Make sure you take good care of him, Al."

"Of course! I'm the hero after all!"

"Well, Mr. Hero, you should bring him by the café later," the blonde girl giggled. "I'm sure there's lots of people who'd love to meet him."

"Yeah, that's a good point," Alfred replied, happy to show off his amazing new friend. "We'll swing by for dinner."

"Great! See you then!" she waved and dragged Elizabeta off.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Lovino woke up, a little disoriented. Alfred helped him sit up slowly.

"Ugh…I shouldn't have eaten all those tomatoes…" Lovino sighed. "…But they were so _good_…"

"So, no regrets?" Alfred laughed.

"None at all," Lovino managed a smirk, before yawning. He was still adjusting to his surroundings. "What'd I miss?"

"Oh, well—"

"Yo! Alfred!" a loud voice called out.

"Oh, hey, Gil," Alfred greeted the albino striding over to them.

"The Awesome Me was delivering packages and I heard you got a new roommate!" Gilbert's voice boomed. "Is this your new friend?"

For some inexplicable reason, Lovi found himself taking an immediate disliking towards the new man.

"Yeah, this is Lovino," Alfred nodded. "Lovino, this is Gilbert. He lives with my brother now."

"Nice to meetcha, kid," Gilbert grinned. "Where are you from?"

"Are you from Canton?" Lovino ignored him.

"No," the albino raised his eyebrows, caught off-guard. "I'm from Blauenwand originally."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Lovino frowned, thinking of the other person he'd met from Blauenwand – the evil potato bastard who stole his brother away from him. For some reason, when he thought of it now, the potato bastard was wearing a villain's cape and carrying off Feli, who was flailing about in a poofy pink princess dress and wailing for Lovino to save him and his pasta. Eh, close enough.

The others exchanged a look of confusion.

"Soooo, are ya gonna stay in Canton long, kid?"

"For a little while at least," Lovino squirmed uncomfortably. "Why do you care?"

"No reason, just curious," grinned Gilbert. "So where were you from again? You never answered."

"Actually, we were just about to head back home, so we'll have to catch you later, Gil," Alfred spoke up, after feeling Lovino tense up beside him. He wasn't sure why his friend was nervous, but he promised he'd take care of him and he always kept his word. "We've been walking around town all day, and I need a nap. Say hi to Mattie for me, 'kay?"

"Sure thing," the albino waved and took off. "The Awesome Me will seeya later!"

Lovino sighed in relief as soon as all the questioning stopped.

"Ready to go home?" Alfred asked, offering him a hand off the bench.

"I can stand up on my own, jerk," Lovino scowled, ignoring the heat rising to his face. He righted himself and started walking. "You coming, bastard?"

"Yeah, but Lovino?"

"What?"

"It's the other direction…"

* * *

Lovino ended up getting Matthew's old room, since he had moved out. There were still a few of his old possessions that he didn't need any more as well as a bed, nightstand, and dresser. Alfred said to let him know if he needed any more furniture and he'd be happy to make some. He still had some leftover cedar boards from a previous project just laying around.

"I have to admit, it's been a little lonely since Mattie moved out, so I'm glad to have someone else at home," Alfred scratched his head.

Lovino wondered how someone so popular and loved could ever feel lonely, but didn't comment.

"With you here, it's like having a little brother in the house again!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lovino snapped. "I'm older than you, so don't treat me like a little kid!"

"Haha, no way you're older than me, Lovi!" Alfred accidently used the dreaded nickname. "You're so little!"

"I'm not little, you're just freakishly huge!" he snorted. "Anyway, I'm 21…"

"Really? I just turned 19 not too long ago," Alfred mused. "People must be really short where you come from!"

"I told you, I'm not short! You're just a giant!"

* * *

Lovino got more settled into his temporary room, which wasn't that hard considering he didn't bring much. He opened the window to get some fresh air and tested the bed – soft, but not nearly as heavenly as the one he used last night – Alfred couldn't cook, but he could clearly choose a good bed.

As he watched the sun dip lower in the sky, he realized something. They never picked anything up for dinner or replaced the tomatoes he had for lunch! This was an emergency! He raced downstairs to tell Alfred.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you! Bella came by and asked us to stop at the café!"

"Huh?" Lovino tried to make sense of this.

"Right, you were sleeping and Bella came by and asked if we could stop at the café she works at so she and the others could meet you when you were more awake."

"Others?" Lovino asked, a little worried. Just how long had he been asleep? How many people had seen him passed out on a bench? He hoped none of those were pretty girls; that would be really embarrassing.

"The other people at the café," Alfred continued. "My Dad runs it, so I know most of the people there."

Lovi had a feeling he'd know most of the people even if his dad didn't own the place. Especially if today was anything to go by, it felt like Alfred knew everyone in town.

Eventually Lovino agreed to go. Then they wouldn't have to head back to town to pick up ingredients for dinner and have to take the time to prepare it. Plus, if his father ran the place, they probably wouldn't have to pay. Free food was the best, even if it was a stranger making it. And if it was just for tonight, how bad could it be?

* * *

**A/N**

Hopefully this chapter was cute and fluffy enough for ya. It was much shorter at first, but then I kept adding things and it grew out of control. Next chapter, Lovi gets to meet Alfred's family (part of them anyway), but which crazy parent owns the café? And will Elizabeta and her crazy yaoi fanclub be there as well? (okay, that one's a freebie, this is _Hungary_ we're talking about.) Find out next time!

~Rajikka

**Word List**

**Idiota** (It.) "Idiot"

**Bastardo **(It.) "Bastard"

**Culo** (It.) "Ass"

**Grazie** (It.) "Thank you"

**Tsundere** (Jp.) – Arthur Kirkland. Haha, just kidding. (sort of.) A tsundere is a type of character seen in anime or manga known for appearing cold or hostile, but having a hidden sweet side. "Tsun Tsun" is the aloof or irritable side, while "Dere Dere" is the lovey dovey side. Iggy and Lovi are two good examples of this character.

**Blauenwand **(Ger.) – I combined the German words for Blue Wall "blauen wand." You'll find out more about this place later.


	3. Bluebell

**Tomato of the Sea**

_Disclaimer:_ I don't Hetalia.

_Warning_: AU, Lovi's way of verbally expressing annoyance, male x male pairings, and a very bipolar Gilbird fluttering about.

Rough day at work, needed to write something fluffy.

* * *

oOo

* * *

On the way over to the restaurant, Alfred filled in Lovino more about his parents. He explained that he lost his birth parents to sickness when he and Matthew were only two. The blonde chuckled and said that's why Matthew's such a germaphobe and freaks out over minor colds and sicknesses.

"Which is funny since he and I are so healthy!"

Alfred went on to explain how they were taken in by Arthur (the town librarian) and Francis (who runs a famous café and clothing shop), who raised them as their sons.

"They're both a bit strange, but I love them just like real parents," Alfred smiled. "We stayed with them until we were 16 and moved into the cabin that I built."

"Wait, you mean the place we are now?" Lovino couldn't cover up the amazement in his voice. "You're saying _you_ built that, bastardo?!"

"Yeah, I love building things!" Alfred's laugh came easily, not offended in the least. "It was easy!"

"Did you build all the furniture too?" Lovino was still trying to get over his shock that something so well-built and time consuming could be made by the guy with the attention span of a two year old. Of course, Alfred had previously offered to make him more furniture if desired. Maybe he was good at this sort of thing, patience requirement or not.

"I built most of it," he nodded. "But Arthur and Francis gave us some stuff…Oh, but when Mattie moved he took most of that with him. He's so sentimental about stuff like that."

They arrived at the Bluebell Café in no time. Alfred waved to several of the apron-clad servers running around and took his usual table by the window. It was one of the smaller tables, but perfect for a party of two. Alfred excitedly told Lovino that in an hour or so, they'd have a perfect view of the sunset from here.

Soon after they settled in, Bella happily walked over to them with two glasses of water. Alfred quickly introduced the two. One for the first time and one for the second time.

"Aww, Lovi! You're even more handsome when you're awake!" the waitress grinned with a catlike smile.

Lovino stammered out some form of a thank you, but was too flustered to meet her gaze. Was _this_ one of the people that saw him passed out on the bench after one too many tomatoes? How embarrassing…

"So what would you boys like to eat tonight?" she asked.

"Hmm…I'll take the Chef's Special and a cup of whatever soup you have back there," Alfred replied after briefly scanning the menu. "How 'bout you, Lovino?"

"I…er…" the brunette wasn't used to this. He'd very rarely eaten in an actual restaurant before and didn't recognize half the stuff on the menu.

"Just bring him something with lots of tomatoes," grinned Alfred.

"Who the hell said you could order for me?" Lovino snapped at him.

Remembering that Antonio had told her all about Alfred's new roommate who supposedly loved tomatoes as much as him, Bella pointed out the pasta section of the menu to Lovino and helped him decide on chicken penne.

"How come Bella gets to order for you?" the blonde pouted.

"Because she's not as annoying as you," huffed Lovino, who did eventually cave and let Alfred pick a soup for him.

Once they had the soup in front of them, (and Lovi reminded Alfred about not talking with food in his mouth) Alfred tried to get to know his new friend better.

"So is there anything else you like to do?"

Lovino was confused, so Alfred elaborated that he's good at cooking and traveling.

"I never thought I was good at either…" the brunette shrugged. "I like art, I guess."

"Like painting and drawing and stuff?"

"Yeah, but I only did that for fun back home. I was never any good at it," Lovi nodded. "My brother was way better than me."

"C'mon, Lovi! I didn't ask about your brother, I asked about you!" Alfred laughed.

Lovino blushed, even letting the nickname slide, while Alfred blinked and apologized.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a jerk about your little bro."

Lovino shook his head, small smile forming, and took a bite of soup. He never heard someone dismiss Saint Feliciano so easily in order to hear more about him instead. It felt kind of…nice.

"I'll let it go just this once, bastard."

* * *

oOo

* * *

In other less innocent corners of the café were three suspiciously cloaked people, all huddled around a round table. They watched the couple from across the floor with great interest.

"Did he just have Alfred order for him?!" a young girl barely managed to contain her excitement. "Laeaaa~! That's so sweet!"

"They've already made good progress," noted the older girl. "Are you recording this, #2?"

"Yes, Leader," a distinct male voice said as he quickly scribbled down notes. "Is there a way we can get them at a smaller table, perhaps?"

"Yes, more opportunities to brush hands, bump shoulders, and sit in close proximity of each other…" the leader nodded. "I like the way you think."

"No, that's the smallest-sized table here," the dark-haired girl replied sadly. "But it's Alfred's designated table for whenever he eats here!"

"So he's begun sharing all of his special places and memories with his exotic new roommate?"

"I believe we have a new OTP on our hands, my friends…"

"Oh my god, you were right, Leader!" squealed the younger girl. "I could totally ship them!"

"This should be canon in just a few short weeks," nodded the only male at the table, glancing at the long-haired girl. "Even less, if you get involved, Leader."

Elizabeta smiled.

The table across from theirs briefly debated reporting them to the local authorities as pirates. Shipping? Cannons? What else could they be?

* * *

oOo

* * *

Despite being spied on and having their lives secretly planned out for them by the three crazies in the corner, dinner was going well for Alfred and Lovino. Alfred was able to chat with his new friend and learn more about him. Lovino was surprisingly more open when he had pasta in front of him. This trait didn't go unnoticed by his roommate or waitress, both struggling not to point out how cute that was.

Bella took a liking to Lovino, and started doting on him like a big sister. After dinner was over, she made him a special chocolate dessert as a Welcome to Town present.

"Now, Alfred!" She chided him after seeing his eyes widen and stare at the cake longingly. She knew that if left to his own devices, he would inhale that thing within a matter of seconds. Bella had been there for his last 5 birthdays. "You keep your mitts off it until Lovi eats his fill!"

"B-But!"

"No buts!" she put her hands on her hips. "Lovino needs some good homemade cooking to help him get his strength up."

Alfred pouted, but agreed since he wanted his friend to get healthy again too. Lovino on the other hand was confused by the argument and why they think he's unhealthy, but figured staying silent got him chocolate cake, so…

Towards the end of dessert, another familiar face entered the Bluebell Café.

"Alfred!" Francis called out and immediately walked over to the table his son was sitting at. "I didn't know you were coming in or I would have been here earlier!"

"Sorry, Dad," Alfred shrugged, pausing from devouring the cake only long enough for Francis to give him a quick kiss on the cheek in greeting.

"And who's this?" the wavy-haired blonde smiled at the new face. "He's quite handsome!"

"Dad, this is Lovino, Lovino, this is my dad, Francis," Alfred introduced them between forkfuls of heaven given chocolate form.

"Enchanted to meet you, Lovino!" Francis tried to give the boy a kiss on the cheek as he had for Alfred, but Lovino dodged in panic.

He was used to his brother and his Nonno giving him kisses on the cheek, but not weirdos he just met. Was this guy some kind of pervert or something?!

Francis just laughed at his shyness and kissed him on the hand instead, which still creeped out the brunette.

"Ah~ I remember how Mathieu used to be the same way~" Francis cupped his cheek in nostalgia. "Have you met him yet?"

Lovino shook his head.

"He just got into town yesterday," Alfred explained.

"I see! Tell me, Lovino, what have you seen so far?" Francis made himself comfortable, sitting next to Lovino and ordering a bottle of wine for the table.

"We just walked around town today..." Lovino said uneasily. He started to wish they had a bigger table and inched closer to Alfred (not that he'd need his help or anything). He could have sworn he heard somebody shriek from the other side of the restaurant, but didn't take much notice of it.

"You simply must come see my clothing store soon! I just got in a shipment of silk yesterday that would bring out the color of your eyes!" Francis exclaimed. He had noticed Lovino wearing some of Matthew's old clothes. While they fit for the most part, he could do better! "Oui, Oui! It would look magnificent on you!"

Lovino was still reluctant, but Alfred knew how to play the game. He promised they'd be in later this week to visit as long as Francis promised not to turn Lovi into his personal dress-up doll for the day as he had Alfred and Matthew in the past. Francis huffed before agreeing.

"So what kind of flower is this, bas-er, Alfred's Dad?" Lovino asked, eager to change the topic. He had noticed several vases filled with bouquets of small blue flowers spread across the restaurant. Each stalk had a tower of flowers blooming from it delicately. The mugs, glasses, and soft chiffon curtains blowing in the breeze also matched the shade of the petals. Even some of the paintings hung around the café were of the elegant flower. The more he looked around, the more he was impressed that such a nice place could be run by such a huge pervert.

"Call me Francis!" he insisted. "And you have a good eye! These are called bluebells and are the namesake behind my humble enterprise!"

_Here he goes again._ Alfred rolled his eyes.

"The story of how Bluebell got its name lies with the first flower my beloved Arthur ever gave me – a bluebell," Francis began. "You see, when we were children he was in awe of my ethereal beauty and actually mistook me for a fairy!"

Alfred made joking gagging noises the way any child would during their parent's tale of How I Met Your Mother/Father/All Of The Above. Lovino noticed and tried not to smirk.

"Because Arthur believed me to be a Fairy Prince, he gave me a flower befitting for one!" Francis sighed wistfully. "It was a pleasant surprise later on when we found that bluebells also mean everlasting love!"

Alfred had kind of wished he mentioned the part where Arthur practically killed Francis when he found out he had been lying to him about being a real fairy. That was _way_ more entertaining than this sappy junk.

"It was my only proof that Arthur had a romantic side after all!" laughed Francis. "When I opened this café, it really was just a café. I named it Bluebell and just like our love, it grew! Within two years time it became a full-blown restaurant."

After regaling the duo with more stories about himself, Francis noticed the time. He stood up to leave once he was done insisting that their meal was on the house for visiting him.

"Well, I must be going!" he beamed. "I can't wait to get home and brag to Arthur that I got to meet your friend first, Alfred~!"

"Don't do that…" his son groaned. "You know how 'Mom' holds weird grudges…"

"I won't then!" Francis smiled innocently.

"I can see your hand's behind your back, Dad." Alfred frowned. "I know your fingers are crossed."

"Alfred! I can't believe you would accuse me of such things!" he acted appalled, uncrossing his fingers in the process.

* * *

oOo

* * *

**A/N**

Bahaha! I covered it up with some lame reasoning of flowers and true love and blah, blah, blah, but Francis' restaurant was originally named after the one and only Bluebell the rabbit.

Also, Alfred calls Francis his "Dad" or "Father" and Arthur his "Dad" or "Mom/Mum" or "Mother" (mostly as a joke or to annoy him). On occasion, he calls them by name. Matthew calls Francis "Papa" and Arthur "Father" or "Dad"

~Rajikka

**Word List**

**Bastardo **(It.) – "Bastard"

**Tsundere** (Jp.) – Arthur Kirkland. Haha, just kidding. (sort of.) A tsundere is a type of character seen in anime or manga known for appearing cold or hostile, but having a hidden sweet side. "Tsun Tsun" is the aloof or irritable side, while "Dere Dere" is the lovey dovey side. Iggy and Lovi are two good examples of this character.

**Laea** (Thai) - "Aww"

**Oui** (Fre.) – "Yes"

**Bluebell** (Various) – In the flower language, bluebells mean humility, gratitude, and everlasting love. They are also closely linked to the realm of the faeries and are called "fairy thimbles." To call upon a faerie, some believe you have to ring a bluebell.

**Bluebell** (Sherlockian) – Rabbit who glows in the dark.


	4. Canta per Me

**Tomato of the Sea**

Disclaimer: I don't Hetalia.

Warning: AU, Lovi's way of verbally expressing annoyance, male x male pairings, and a very bipolar Gilbird fluttering about.

Thanks for the encouragement to update this fic! I promise I won't leave it (or you guys) hanging, I just tend to update the fics that are getting the most reviews first. So this fic may update slow, but it will steadily continue. No worries : )

* * *

oOo

* * *

The next morning, Lovino found himself puttering around his room. It was still too early to start breakfast and he was too awake to fall back asleep. To pass the time, he started poking around at the baskets and boxes leftover from Alfred's brother. He felt less nosy, because Alfred had told him to feel free to use anything in the guest room. Most of it were things Matthew left behind and Alfred never used.

Lovino felt his eyes rest on a slender black case. Was it a music instrument? The brunette slid it out from between the wall and a box to examine it. He opened it to find an old violin inside. It was a lighter color than the one Lovino had seen his mother use, but he was certain it was still a violin.

"Huh, wonder if it's tuned?" Lovino mused, gently taking the instrument out of the case. He plucked at a few strings and satisfied, took out the bow. "Let's see if I even remember how to play this damned thing…"

As a child, Lovino's mother taught him and Feliciano how to play, but it had been ages ago. He racked his brain to think of any song he remembered. Several tunes started to come back to him and he tried them out, finally settling on a simple song from Torre'. He closed his eyes and mentally transported himself to another world, another time, where his family was still alive, his brother was still home, and everyone was safe. The tune picked up a happier note as Lovino continued playing.

Downstairs, Alfred looked up from cleaning his face at the wash basin. He could've sworn he heard Matthew playing his old violin. Geez, how long ago had he heard that? Alfred finished wiping his face and returned to the living room. He could still hear the violin.

"Mattie?" He called out, confused. No one responded, so he followed the sound upstairs to his brother's old room.

Alfred cautiously opened the door, half-expecting his brother to be there instead of Lovino. He was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Matthew's violin, but it was Lovino playing it in front of the large, sunny window. Alfred smiled. It was a nice song. He hadn't heard any like it before. Was it from Torredirosso? He wanted to ask Lovi, but didn't want him to stop playing. It looked like he was concentrating so hard that he didn't even notice the blonde walk in. Alfred leaned against the doorframe and enjoyed the rest of the song.

Lovino felt his fingers fly over the strings, muscle memory kicking in. Even if his brain couldn't recall what notes came next, his hands seemed to remember and eased him back into playing naturally. The brunette had only learned a few songs from his mother's lessons, so he had played those songs hundreds of times. As the song ended, Lovino opened his eyes and readjusted to reality. The sad feeling he got from the image of his family fading away was quickly replaced by shock of seeing Alfred standing in the doorway, huge grin on his face.

"You play really well."

"Sh-Shut up, bastard!" Lovino ignored his face heating up and carefully set the violin back in its case. "Didn't anyone teach you to knock before entering?!"

"But it sounded so pretty!" Alfred pouted. "What was it? I don't think I've ever heard a song like it before!"

"Canta per Me…" he mumbled.

"What was that?"

"It's called 'Sing for Me' bastard," Romano huffed. "It's an old Torre' lullaby."

"It's nice, but I don't know about the name," Alfred laughed. "Should little kids really be hearing a song called 'Sing for Me, Bastard?"

"Shut up," the tsundere huffed and strode past him to the stairs. "I'm getting something to eat, you can starve for all I care."

"Noooo!" the cheerful blonde followed. "Don't let me starve! I'm still a growing boy!"

"How can you _still_ be growing?! You're huge!"

"You're just little."

"I am not, you giant idiot!"

* * *

oOo

* * *

After Lovino whipped up a quick breakfast, the two sat down to eat. They sat in a comfortable silence for the few minutes it took Alfred to try everything and exclaim how good it all was. Lovino tried to enjoy the peace while he still could.

"I have to go to work today," Alfred informed his roommate. "I'm helping Roderich fix the wheel on his carriage."

"Okay, bastard."

"If there's anything you need, I'll be at the music shop or you can find Bella at the café."

"I'll be fine, idiota," Lovino rolled his eyes. "I'm not a child."

After Alfred left, the brunette began to wander around the house. He was impressed most of the stuff here was built by Alfred's own two hands. The guy could be a bit of an airhead and way too easily distracted, but not with the furniture. Lovino could tell he was very patient and took his time to make sure each board fit just right.

On the walls, Lovi saw several pictures of Alfred and his family, which made his chest hurt a little. Lovino couldn't help but think of his own family – his parents were dead, his Nonno was dead, and he had no idea where Feli ended up. The only family that Lovino was certain of wanted him and his brother dead. Lovino stopped and took a deep breath. He didn't want to be pulled into those dark thoughts again. Glancing out the window, he decided a trip to the beach would help take his mind off things. He didn't actually go there yet, but it was only a few minutes away and in clear view of Alfred's house, so he wasn't worried about getting lost.

* * *

oOo

* * *

Alfred picked up his tool kit before heading down to the music store. He hoped Lovino would be okay on his own. The blonde had wanted to take him with, but figured it would be kind of boring and that his new friend needed his rest anyway. That, and there was no way he was going to force Lovino to work after everything he'd been through. Lovino still wasn't ready to talk about it, which only made Alfred worry more. He knew Lovino didn't trust people as easily as he did, but he at least hoped that Lovi trusted him.

Alfred arrived at the music store and got right to work. Roderich had left the broken wheel and carriage behind the shop. Alfred looked it over and saw the cause of the problem were the spokes near the hub of the tire. They had cracked over time and must have broke as Roderich had his latest shipment loaded into the carriage. They were just too thin and made of a flimsy wood – probably cedar (which was durable, but less strong). Alfred was glad he brought some solid hickory wood with him. It should be about the right dimensions, he could even make them a little thicker to bear more weight. Of course, it would be better if he could change out all the spokes on the wheel while he was at it. That way, the tire would last even longer. The Hero of Canton quickly looked over the amount of hickory he had brought with him, deeming it to be enough.

While repairing the broken spokes, Elizabeta popped in with a tray of lemonade and cookies from the bakery. Nothing like sweets and refreshments to hide a hidden agenda.

"Alfred! So good to see you again!" she beamed. "Would you like something to drink? Or maybe some cookies? I got them fresh from Tino's this morning!"

"Sure," Alfred reached for a cookie. "Thanks, Elizabeta!"

"Isn't this nice?" she smiled again. "One of these days you and Lovino should come over for lunch!"

Alfred happily munched on the cookies and agreed, delighting Elizabeta. He made sure to eat politely, but quickly. He knew how important repairing the carriage wheel was to Roderich. Alfred had promised him he'd fix it as soon as he could too. A few more nails and it should be good.

When he finally finished, Roderich thanked him for taking care of it at the last minute. He gave Alfred a few extra coins for his trouble.

"Thank you, Alfred. I would have never been able to send out my latest shipment of woodwinds on time, if not for you," Roderich thanked him.

"No worries!" The blonde waved him off. "That's what heroes are for."

"…Of course."

Roderich could never wrap his head around Alfred's obsession with being the hero, but he was still a good kid and one of the handiest people in town. This was a feat in itself, considering the two crazies who raised him.

Alfred debated what to do with his extra coins after his work was done for the day. Arthur and Matthew had always taught him to save his money for practical things, but Francis was always demonstrating the proper way to blow cash on fun things. Alfred passed the general store and had an idea. He walked inside and picked up a sketchbook and charcoal pencils for Lovi. It was perfect! Fun _and_ practical!

Alfred beamed as he exited the store, art supplies in hand. He remembered Lovino saying he liked art. This would make him happy for sure.

* * *

oOo

* * *

At the beach, Lovino walked for a bit, letting the sand sift between his toes. The beaches here were a little grainier than the ones back home (where it felt like walking on powder some days), but it was just as relaxing. Lovino spotted a small cropping of rocks and climbed up to watch the waves. Something about the waves rushing in and out was soothing to Lovino. He'd often cool off at the beach whenever life was stressing him out. It was lucky Canton had a beach too. While the sights were different than Torre' the smell and the sound of the ocean was identical.

Lovino leaned back and let the sun rays warm his skin. He loved the heat and being out on a sunny day. The brunette allowed himself the luxury of closing his eyes and smiling to himself. For some reason, the sun reminded him of Alfred. Just a bit. Probably because both were giant balls of endless energy that sometimes drove you nuts. Or maybe because both were so warm? Lovino could still remember the warmth of Alfred's hand the stormy day he met him and the blonde took him to safety.

_Hmph. Not that I needed his help. I'm perfectly capable of—_

"Excuse me, are you a traveler?" a voice belonging to a masked man interrupted Lovino's thoughts.

"Chigi!" the green-eyed boy hadn't even heard him approach. He was so startled, that he even lost his balance and fell in the knee-deep water below the rocks.

"I'm sorry, erkek," the masked man apologized and offered him a hand. "Didn't mean to startle you, there."

Lovino's internal alarms were suddenly set off, making him panic. He looked up at the man in front of him with distrust evident in his eyes. Lovino wasn't sure why he was so freaked out, but his instincts had kept him alive so far. He mentally kicked himself for not bringing the knife his Nonno gave him with to the beach. A lot of good it was doing him now on top of the dresser at Alfred's house.

"Are you alright?"

Lovi chose to run past the stranger rather than answer him. He sprinted all the way back to Alfred's house, locking the door behind him. If he wasn't preoccupied with putting as much distance as possible between him and that masked freak, he would've shoved the couch in front of the door too. Followed by the kitchen table if he was feeling really ambitious. In the end, he settled on retreating to his room to retrieve his knife and change out of his wet clothes.

* * *

oOo

* * *

Alfred got back not long after Lovino's adventure on the beach. He was glad he brought his key when he noticed the front door was locked. The blonde furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't remember locking it when he left. Did Lovino go somewhere?

"Lovi?" Alfred called out as he walked inside. "Lovi, are you home?"

When he got no answer, he decided to check Lovino's room. Unfortunately, he forgot to knock again and entered while his roommate was changing. Lovino only had his shirt off, but Alfred noted how tan and lean he was. Not that the brunette was scrawny, of course! He'd kill him if Alfred said that out loud. The blonde could easily see muscle tone, despite his sleeker build.

"Hi, Lovi!"

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Lovino jumped into the air in surprise and hissed at him. He reminded Alfred of a cat with its hair on end. Especially with the frazzled state of his ahoge. "Stupido! What did I tell you about knocking first?!"

"Sorry! I was just excited to show you what I picked up at the store!" Alfred tried to distract him with the bag of art supplies. "I'll just leave these here and you can look at them whenever. Seeya!"

Alfred quickly excused himself, leaving the bag behind. Lovino slipped on a dry shirt and opened the bag to see a large sketchbook, several pieces of charcoal, and some oil pastels tied up with a bow.

Lovino was amazed Alfred would get him a gift like this based off one conversation where he said he liked art. He felt his lips curve upwards into a smile.

_Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad after all_…

* * *

oOo

* * *

**A/N**

Lovi's slowly adjusting to living in Canton and with the hero. The Masked Man will be appearing again, but I'm sure most of you can figure out who he is already. Next chapter Lovi meets another member of Alfred's family. Mostly to make up for how filler-y this chapter felt to me :/

~Rajikka

**Translations**

**Bastardo **(It.) – "Bastard"

**Tsundere** (Jp.) – Arthur Kirkland. Haha, just kidding. (sort of.) A tsundere is a type of character seen in anime or manga known for appearing cold or hostile, but having a hidden sweet side. "Tsun Tsun" is the aloof or irritable side, while "Dere Dere" is the lovey dovey side. Iggy and Lovi are two good examples of this character.

**Idiota** (It.) – "Idiot"

**Stupido** (It.) – "Stupid"

**Nonno** (It.) – "Grandpa"

**Canta per Me** (It.) - "Sing for Me" a beautiful song by Yuki Kajiura. Not that it's a surprise, seeing as how I've yet to be disappointed with any of her albums. If you don't know her music and love fantasy, I highly recommend looking her up! She composes everything from lullabies to battle themes! :)

**Erkek** (Turk.) – "Boy"


	5. Robbing Houses Isn't Canadian

**Tomato of the Sea**

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Warning: AU, Lovi's way of verbally expressing annoyance, male x male pairings, and a very bipolar Gilbird fluttering about.

Hope you don't mind the early update. I got overly excited for the event that happens at the end of this chapter…I won't say more than that. Enjoy!

* * *

oOo

* * *

Lovino was currently lounging around in one of the rocking chairs Alfred kept on the outside porch of his house. Alfred himself was helping someone out it town again with something; Lovino couldn't remember exactly who the blonde had mentioned. All he knew was that waiting around the house all day for Alfred to come home was getting really boring, really fast.

He had been here for five days now, and was beginning to feel like he would be able to fit in. Lovino was grateful for everything Alfred had done for him, but for some reason the blonde didn't let him lift a finger since his arrival (Lovino didn't count cooking as a chore as much as a necessity). At first it was nice because he got to relax and catch his breath, but now he was completely and utterly bored. Even when he had offered to help Alfred at work, he was turned down. He knew the blonde was just trying to be nice, but now it was hurting Lovino's pride to be this useless.

Deciding that staying home all day again would only make him more bored (he avoided going to the beach by himself ever since his run-in with the masked bastard), he slipped his shoes on and began the short walk to town. He mentally ran over all the places and people he remembered from his tour with Alfred. The images blurred together, but he could recall a few. As Lovino wandered around town, he ran into Bella.

"Hi, Lovi!" she happily greeted him.

"Hi, Bella," he waved back, feeling a little shy around her for some reason.

"What are you up to today?"

"Not much…just out for a walk," Lovino ran a hand through his hair, hoping he didn't sound as lazy as he felt. He couldn't explain it, but he didn't want Bella to be disappointed with him. Alfred may have been right about her being Canton's big sister. "What about you?"

"I was just heading over to help Antonio with his stand at the farmer's market," she smiled brightly. "Would you like to join me?"

As soon as he accepted, Bella happily looped her arm through his and led him over. On the way, she pointed out places and faces (at a much slower rate than Alfred) for Lovino to see. She also told him the basics about helping out at Antonio's food stand – smiling at customers, telling them how good the produce was for them, and the prices of each item. Lovino nodded, glad that he was at least familiar with food. The brunette became a little unsure when he saw the crowd around Antonio's stand grow and grow. He could do this…right?

"I'm here, 'Toni!" Bella led Lovi behind the counter and grabbed an apron for both of them. "And I brought Lovi with me!"

"Gracias, Bella!" the curly-haired owner shot them both a grateful smile. "Perfect timing!"

The three quickly got to work.

"Excellent choice, amigo!" Antonio tossed some apples in a bag for an older man. "Would you like some cinnamon as well? Apples and cinnamon go great together!"

"Trust me, the peaches here are to die for!" Bella smiled at a pair of women. "I eat them all the time; they do wonders for your complexion!"

"Uh, here's your food," Lovino hesitantly handed the bag over to an angry-looking mother of four. He was still getting the hang of this.

"About time!" she huffed and another angry customer took her place. Lovino was getting all the winners today.

"I'd like three pears, if you think you can handle that, _boy_," a hook-nosed man sneered. "I have pies to make."

"Why the hell do you want pears?" Lovino felt his temper get the best of him. "It's peach season, bastardo!"

"…I-I suppose that would make a good pie too."

"Don't hold them back with pies!" the brunette yelled at him. "Grill 'em up and change the noodle game!"

"Peaches with…noodles?" the man looked thoughtful (and a little afraid of the quickly angered boy in front of him). "That does sound good. I'll take a dozen!"

"Damn right you will!" Lovino bagged up his order. "Any of you other bastards here wanna get in on this peach pasta action?"

Several hands shot up and the people started pushing forward towards Lovino with more questions. He answered them all ten at a time.

"Don't give me that 'I don't eat breakfast' bullshit! It's too early to be an asshole! Eat some of these strawberries and start your day out right, by owning the shit out of it!"

"Avocados are nature's butter, dammit! If today wasn't the last time you ate one, then it's been too long!"

"Yeah, I know this heat is fucking ridiculous! Grab a chair, drink some citrus iced tea, splash some whisky in there, and flip off the sun!" he shouted at the group in back. "We've got all the shit you need to get started right here!"

When the rush was over and people stopped throwing their money at Lovino, the three salespeople sat down on the ground to catch their breath. Everything was sold out and Antonio practically had money coming out of his ears. He pulled out a hidden bag of tomatoes as thanks.

"Lovi, you were amazing!" Antonio hugged and paid each helper. "You can come back anytime to help! I'll even pay you in tomatoes if you'd like!"

"I'll think about it," Lovino tried to play it cool and not to drool at the idea of coming home with a basket of delicious tomatoes every time he helped this bastard for an hour or two.

* * *

oOo

* * *

Halfway across town, Alfred was sitting in the dark, dusty library annoyed how he got stuck helping out Arthur and that both Matthew and Francis bailed on him. _Especially_ Mattie, who works at the library to begin with! This was one of the few times Alfred regretted being a hero (as well as a dutiful son). Somehow that got him stuck helping Arthur reorganize and alphabetize each section of the library. He couldn't ignore a call for help, even if it did come from his short-tempered mother/father figure.

To keep himself from dying of boredom, Alfred began planning out all the cool things he still had to show Lovino. They'd already seen the town, but not the beaches, so on one of his days off they'd have to spend the day there. He figured they could see the cliffs overlooking the town too. It really was the best place for boat-watching. Maybe Lovi would like the forest on the outskirts of town too? Alfred used to be afraid of them because Matthew convinced him they were haunted, but after he exposed it as a ruse to get him to behave, the Hero of Canton feared no pine tree! Ghosts still creeped him out, though.

"Alfred, are you even listening?!"

"Of course I am."

Arthur continued to ramble about this and that, while Alfred prayed he'd swiftly become deaf or his adoptive parent would suddenly become a mute. Neither happened and he was near tears by the third time Arthur made him take all the books off a shelf and resort them.

"Maybe we should try sorting by color…?" the librarian mused. "Hmm, no…Actually, I liked them the way they were. Alfred, put them back for me, please."

Eventually, his suffering was over and the library make-over was complete. Every book was in its place and each shelf was clearly labeled by genre and author. Arthur took note of Alfred's exhaustion and offered him a scone.

Alfred took a bite and realized his true suffering had only begun. He had become _way_ too accustomed to Lovi's gourmet cooking.

"…Well, how do you like them? I tried a new recipe!"

"Oh, I can tell!"

"Alfred? …Alfred, are you crying?"

"I might be."

"What's wrong?!"

"I just really miss spending time with you, Dad…"

"Aww…!"

_Smooth, Alfred. Very smooth._

* * *

oOo

* * *

Lovino returned home with a bag half-filled of tomatoes (he was hungry on the way back) and a pouch full of gold coins. He deposited both on the kitchen table and noticed a bird fluttering around the living room. Thinking it odd, he followed the bird and saw a complete stranger sitting on the couch, looking at the sketchbook Lovino had accidently left there earlier.

"Holy shit! A robber!" the brunette shrieked (in a very manly way) and took out his knife (which he never left home without now).

"E-Eh?! No!" the wavy-haired boy about his age, shot off the couch and waved his arms around. "I'm not a robber! I'm Matthew! Alfred's brother!"

His bird accomplice began zooming around the room madly. Lovino only lowered his knife when he recognized the name and saw the not-actually-a-robber's resemblance to Alfred.

"W-What are you doing here, bastard?"

"I was just dropping off a dessert and was hoping to meet Alfred's new roommate too," Matthew explained, slightly wincing at Lovino's choice of words. "I take it that's you, eh?

"Maybe," Lovino replied stubbornly. "What's the deal with your bird accomplice?"

"He actually belongs to my boyfriend, not me. Gilbird just likes to follow me around sometimes."

They were both able to calm down after that and sat across from each other in the living room. Lovino felt obligated to offer him a glass of water, since Matthew was technically his guest, but they each ended up grabbing their own drink (since the blonde knew where the cups were and didn't want to impose). Both chatted for a bit which created a question Lovino was just dying to ask.

"Are…Are you really Alfred's brother?" he tilted his head, scrutinizing the other. Sure the two blondes _looked_ alike, but… "You're so different…"

Where Alfred was loud and outgoing, his brother was shy, polite, and soft-spoken.

"Sometimes, I can't believe it either!" laughed Matthew, stroking the now-calm bird perched on his shoulder. He looked like the world's most adorable pirate. "But even twins aren't always identical."

Lovino nodded, realizing that was a well-placed phrase to politely get more information out of him. Now he _really_ had a hard time believing Alfred and Matthew were related. Sure, he and Feli had their differences, but they shared the same core principles – love for family and pasta, appreciation for the arts, and culinary skills to rival any chef. Regardless, he wanted to trust Alfred's brother, so he humored him.

"Yeah, my brother and I look alike, but we act very different too."

Matthew seemed happy that Lovi was willing to talk to him, so they chatted a bit more. The wavy-haired blonde explained his Maple Sugar Pie dessert to Lovino, who tried to think of a good dish to go with it for dinner. He settled on a simple ravioli dish and Matthew suggested a good store to get ingredients from. The blonde mentioned that it was on his way home, so he could point it out to Lovino if he wanted to go now. Lovi took him up on the offer and they headed out.

* * *

oOo

* * *

Despite his best efforts not to, Alfred ended up spending a good deal of time in the library bathroom. With Arthur sitting beside him at lunch, he had no choice but to finish his scone, lest he incur the wrath of the crazy librarian/amateur cook.

"Are you coming down with something?" Arthur asked after his son exited the bathroom. "You seemed healthy this morning."

"I was," came the weak reply.

"Well, I'll go make you some soup to go," the bushy-browed man offered.

"N-No! I mean, no, that's okay," Alfred insisted. "I feel a lot better after puking my guts up."

"Alfred, that's disgusting!" Arthur scolded him.

"Not as disgusting as your scones…" he muttered.

"What'd you say about my scones?!"

"You heard that?!"

"Of course I heard that! You couldn't speak quietly to save your own life, you git!"

"You're right! I'm too loud for the library!" Alfred took off. "I better let myself out!"

"Alfred F. Jones!" his guardian roared after him. "You get back here and apologize to me this instant!"

* * *

oOo

* * *

Matthew pointed out a store across the town square that he recommended to Lovino. He told him it was more like a general store, so it had a little bit of everything for reasonable prices. Lovino thanked him and they parted ways. As Lovino walked past the weapon shop, he couldn't help but glance in the windows. He marveled at the sleek, curved swords inside. They were unlike anything his grandfather had ever showed him. Interest piqued, he walked inside and met the owner of the weapons/blacksmith shop.

"Welcome," Kiku bowed and greeted him. He quickly recognized the brunette as Alfred's new roommate/potential life partner from his recent intel operation at Bluebell, but didn't let on. "Please let me know if you need help with anything."

"Can you tell me more about these blades?" Lovino asked, crouched in front of the window display. The sword set was beautiful. One was out of its sheath and polished so well, that Lovino could see his own reflection on the single-edged blade.

"You have very good taste," Kiku nodded as he walked over. "These are traditional swords from my homeland, Hisuiro, or the 'Iron Isles' as they are called here in the West."

"Never heard of it," Lovino couldn't take his eyes off the display. "Tell me more about the swords."

"The larger sword you see here is called a katana. High-ranking warriors often wear them on their side with a wakizashi, the medium sized sword, and the tanto, the knife," Kiku expected his customer to be done after that explanation, but Lovino had more questions.

"Why are they curved? And so slender?"

"Because in my homeland, close-combat has changed," Kiku smiled. "Swordsmen required blades that allowed for faster draw times. Fast responses are the key to victory."

"So you could draw the sword from your sheath and cut down an enemy in the same strike… Interesting." Lovino nodded, blaming his Nonno for his lack of normal hobbies and interests.

"Exactly," Kiku smiled, offering a blade to Lovino, who accepted it and examined it from every angle. It gleamed in the sunlight.

"It's light. Steel?"

"Yes, although other varieties exist too."

"How do you get the curve? I'm assuming you don't fold and weld the steel that way."

"Correct, that stage is far too early," the shopkeeper nodded. "That part comes after all the impurities are removed from the steel."

"I'm impressed that it holds a curve this nicely, especially steel," Lovino held the sword up. "It's not too soft or too hard. Cheh, that would only make it brittle."

"Most steel comes to me too soft or too hard," Kiku was enjoying the chance to talk shop with the surprisingly knowledgeable customer. "I have to further refine it to make it suitable for swords."

"Nice," the brunette nodded, setting the katana down and picking up the tanto knife. "How do they handle?"

"Well…" Kiku smiled. "Would you like a demonstration?"

* * *

oOo

* * *

Alfred fled the library and escaped his pissed off, tsundere of a father figure for now. As he jogged home, he ran into Matthew and Gilbert. Both were on the outskirts of a gathering crowd near Kiku's shop. His brother looked terrified while Gil looked excited, which made Alfred a little uneasy (and not just because he had eaten one of Arthur's scones). Alfred headed over to see what was going on and his jaw dropped.

Kiku raised his sword into the air and brought it down in a huge arc above Lovino. The brunette, deflected the slash with the Hisuiro-issued knife and quickly spun around the swordsman. Kiku, being used to fast close-quarters combat, brought his sword up to guard against Lovino's strike as he spun back on his toes.

Kiku parried each of Lovi's quick jabs and leapt backwards to create more distance. He brought his arms up to slice downwards, but was stopped by Lovino using the tanto on Kiku's blade and his hand under the swordsman's elbow to suspend the attack in the air. Just as Kiku twisted his other arm around for a counter-attack, Lovino had already jumped back and taken the offensive again. Sparks shot outwards as the two weapons clashed.

To the trained eye, Kiku and Lovino were sparring with a wakizashi and tanto to test each weapon out. To the untrained eye, the speed they were going at made it look like they were fighting each other to the death. Gilbert was shrieking about how awesome this was, while Matthew covered his eyes in fear. Gilbird excitedly flew in circles above both of them.

Normally, Alfred had an eye for these kinds of things, but with Lovino involved, he only saw danger. He instantly pushed past the onlookers and rushed into the middle of their sparring match (nearly losing an arm in the process).

"Kiku, stop! Stop!" he wildly waved his arms around. "Dude! That's too dangerous! He's just a little—"

"'Just a little' _what_, Alfred?" Lovino narrowed his eyes at the blonde.

"Er…" Alfred sweatdropped. Today was just not his day.

"Idiota!" the brunette snarled and started pummeling Alfred with the hilt of the dagger.

"It's okay, Alfred," the swordsman tried to pacify the two. As if he would ever do something to endanger the life(s) of Elizabeta's current OTP. Even with all his skills, he knew death would come for him swiftly in the form of an enraged pan-wielding yaoi fanatic. "It was just a sparring match."

"A what now?" Alfred was relieved Kiku wasn't trying to kill his best friend, but confused. Kiku rarely sparred with anyone.

"Just a sparring match," Kiku smiled to reassure him. "Lovino-kun is quite skilled!"

"Of course I am," Lovino twirled the dagger with ease. "I've been playing with knives since I was five!"

"Why does that not reassure me…?" Alfred grinned and sweatdropped. He got Lovino to stop twirling the dagger around by taking one of his hands to inspect it. He didn't seem to notice when he started tracing his thumb over Lovino's knuckles. "I'm amazed you still have all your fingers."

"Shut up, jackass!" the tsundere pulled his hand back, ignoring the rosy color his cheeks were turning.

"You must have had a good master, Lovino-kun."

"Just my Grandpa…" the brunette scratched his head. He didn't see what the big deal was.

"Lovino! Are you alright?" Matthew rushed forward, now that the crowd was dispersing and knocking people over was no longer necessary.

"I'm fine. Really."

"Hey, how come Mattie gets to fret over you and not get yelled at?" Alfred asked with a slight pout.

"Because he didn't barrel his way into the middle of a sparring match with sharp objects," Lovino snapped back at him.

"That was pretty awesome though, Lovi!" Gilbert grinned. "I didn't know you had it in you!"

Lovino could feel a vein pulsing in his forehead.

"I grew up in a bad part of town! My Grandpa was a blacksmith! Why is this so surprising to you all?!" he exploded. "And _stop calling me Lovi!_"

Meanwhile the crowd around them was chattering excitedly about Alfred's houseguest. Rumors from 'secret assassin' to 'pirate' to 'reincarnated warrior' started spreading about Lovino.

* * *

oOo

* * *

**A/N**

I just can't keep Lovi away from knives! Not in this or _Irresistible and Oblivious_! I can't help it. Something about him with a blade is just…nevermind. ^/^

As a side-note, several of Lovi's lines at the food stand are based off of recipes and notes from Thug Kitchen, which is just as hilarious as it sounds. I can't look at recipes from that site without hearing it in Lovino's voice, but that is one problem to _have_.

~Rajikka

**Translations**

**Bastardo **(It.) – "Bastard"

**Gracias** (Sp.) – "Thank you"

**Tsundere** (Jp.) – Arthur Kirkland. Haha, just kidding. (sort of.) A tsundere is a type of character seen in anime or manga known for appearing cold or hostile, but having a hidden sweet side. "Tsun Tsun" is the aloof or irritable side, while "Dere Dere" is the lovey dovey side. Iggy and Lovi are two good examples of this character.

**Idiota** (It.) – "Idiot"

**Hisuiro** (Jp.) – Taken from Hisui (jade) and Ro (forge, as in smithy or furnace), so you end up with "Jade Forge." In this fic, that chain of northeast islands are sometimes called the 'Iron Isles' because of all the metal-working done there.

**Nonno** (It.) – "Grandpa"

**Katana, Wakizashi, and Tanto** (Jp.) – Various Japanese swords, listed from longest (of these three) to shortest.

**-kun **(Jp.) – Term of endearment or familiarity, this one is often used for boys. Lovi impressed Kiku so much that they went to a first name basis quickly.

**OTP** (Eng.) - "One True Pairing" Some people have one couple they adore above all others and some people have several. It varies. It's technically not a foreign word, but I've had people ask about it before.


End file.
